Music Tuition

Children in institutions often miss out on special opportunities that children raised in families take for granted – such as the occasional family excursion, opportunities to further their skills and interests such as additional sports training, music, hobbies etc. Having had direct experience running a small orphanage in Ghana for 5 years, Kate Ericksen is aware that orphanage directors and staff lack the time and energy required to organise such programs and ensure children get transportation and adult accompaniment to extra-curricular classes on time.

In December 2009, we collected a variety of musical instruments, which we transported to Davao, and with which we intend to offer training for home children as well as to poor children in the area. These include keyboard, recorders, drums and violins. We have received support from music schools in New Zealand to supply instruments and offer donations to pay for tuition from local music teachers.

We contacted the Agdao Violin Institute, which is the only violin school in Davao, started by David Evans, a Christian Missionary and violin teacher from the US. We arranged a partnership with them to provide the orphanage students with tuition. The first class was on the 6th of February and the students are currently recieiving classes every second week.

The budget for orphanage tuition is PhP 900 / week (Euro 15). This includes transportation, tuition fees and maintenance of violins – mainly strings. We hope to extend this to poor students in the area once equipment allows.

David Evans teaches first class

Pupil at the Agdao Institute